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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	African Cuckoo	Red-billed Malkoha
Scientific Name	Cuculus gularis	Zanclostomus javanicus
Order	Cuculiformes	Cuculiformes
Family	Cuculidae	Cuculidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	—	—
Wingspan	41.8 cm (16.5 in)	28.8 cm (11.3 in)
Weight	105.0 g (3.70 oz)	115.5 g (4.07 oz)
Diet	--	--
Clutch Size	--	--
Population Trend	—	—

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🌲 Forest

African Cuckoo only

None

Red-billed Malkoha only

None

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Song & Call Comparison

African Cuckoo

Song

Loud, far-carrying raucous call; harsh penetrating notes given from tall African forest canopy. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Red-billed Malkoha

Song

Sharp, staccato chip note; clean emphatic sound repeated rhythmically from dense tropical scrub habitat.

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

African Cuckoo

Least Concern

Red-billed Malkoha

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How to Tell Them Apart

African Cuckoo

Plumage

African Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; African migrant similar to Common

Red-billed Malkoha

Plumage

Olive-capped Coua: olive-green crown; gray body; white below; bare blue facial skin; long graduated tail; Madagascar species; olive cap

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About These Birds

African Cuckoo

African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) — 32–35 cm. Very similar to Common Cuckoo; grey above; barred below; yellow bill base and orbital ring; long tail. Migratory intra-African breeder across sub-Saharan woodland and savanna. Brood parasite primarily targeting fork-tailed drongos. Insectivore.

Red-billed Malkoha

Red-billed Malkoha (Zanclostomus javanicus) — 38–44 cm. Blue-green above with a rufous belly; bright red bill and bare red orbital skin; long white-tipped tail. Inhabits primary and tall secondary forest of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Java. Non-parasitic. Insectivore feeding on large caterpillars and invertebrates.

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